Bundling strap

ABSTRACT

THE BUNDLING STRAP OF THE INVENTION IS AN INCREMENTALLY ADJUSTABLE STRAP HAVING A PLURALITY OF TEETH POSITIONED IN AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE THEREOF FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH AT LEAST ONE DETENT PLACED WITHIN A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE EXTENDING THROUGH A HEAD MEMBER FORMED AS A PORTION OF THE OVERALL STRAP. A TWO COMPONENT STRAP BODY PORTION HAVING TEETH IN AN OVERLYING PORTION IS PREVENTED FROM TOUCHING THE ARTICLES TO BE BUNDLED BY THE PROTECTIVE UNDERLYING PORTION. THE LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE THROUGH THE HEAD PERMITS THE STRAP HEAD TO LIE IN CLOSE CONTACT TO AND CONFORM GENERALLY TO THE SHAPE OF THE ARTICLES TO BE BUNDLED. BY THE CHOICE OF THE NUMBER AND POSITIONING OF THE DETENTS PLACED WITHIN THE HEAD MEMBER, THE NUMBER OF INCREMENTAL POSITIONS AT WHICH THE STRAP MAY BE LOCKED MAY BE GREATLY INCREASED.

Nom 9, 171 R s SCHWARTZ 3,618,173

BUNDLING STRAP Filed April 10, 1970 zsheets-sheat 1 INVliN'I'UR.

ATTORNEY R. s. SCHWARTZ 3,fi1,1 1W

BUNDL ING STRAP Filed April 10; 1970 2 sheets-sheet 2 i j a INV/iN'lUR RICHARD Sv SCHWARTZ BY w ATTORNEY 3,618,173 BUNDLING STRAP Richard S. Schwartz, Union Township, Union County,

NJ, assignor to Thomas & Betts Corporation, Elizabeth, NJ.

Filed Apr. 10, 1970, Ser. No. 27,372 lint. Cl. B6511 63/00 US. Cl. 241-16 PB 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DlS CILOSUlRE The bundling strap of the invention is an incrementally adjustable strap having a plurality of teeth positioned in at least one longitudinal edge thereof for engagement with at least one detent placed within a longitudinal passage extending through a head member formed as a portion of the overall strap. A two component strap body portion having teeth in an overlying portion is prevented from touching the articles to be bundled by the protective underlying portion. The longitudinal passage through the head permits the strap head to lie in close contact to and conform generally to the shape of the articles to be bundled. By the choice of the number and positioning of the detents placed within the head member, the number of incremental positions at which the strap may be locked may be greatly increased.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention is directed to the field of bundling articles such as individual conductors into a cable bundle or for the attachment of a plurality of rods or other similar members into a more manageable, neater bundle. Similarly, the bundling strap may be employed to mount individual articles to a support member, mounting surface or the like.

Description of the prior art Prior art patents providing incremental locking arrangements generally employed strap body portions having a plurality of teeth cut in the longitudinal edges thereof, which teeth are then engaged by means of pawl mechanisms placed within or about the head end portion, formed either as a part of the strap body or as individual elements added thereto. Locking means could take the form of pawls, detents or the like formed as an integral portion of the head member or could be externally applied, as by means of a metal clip or the like. In all such straps the edges of the teeth were fully exposed to the article to be bundled. For example, where a plurality of individual conductors were to be bundled into a cable bundle, the insulation of the individual conductors was in danger of being degraded or destroyed as a result of the interengagement between the sharp edges of the teeth and the insulation of such conductors. The result of such degradation or destruction of the insulation often was to permit the shorting of conductors within the cable bundle with the resultant failure of the electrical equipment as sociated therewith. Further, a selected cooperation was established between the locking means to be used with the strap and the teeth of the strap body portion. Thus, the degree of tightness or looseness of the strap about the articles to be bundled was dependent upon the num ber of teeth placed within the strap body portion and its relationship to the locking member employed. There was no provision made to provide for finer division of the placement of the teeth within the longitudinal edges of the strap body itself.

, 3,bl,l73 Patented Nov. 9, 197i SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the difliculties noted above with respect to the prior art devices by providing an incremental locking bundling strap wherein the teeth positioned within the longitudinal edges of the strap are protected from direct contact with the articles to be bundled, thereby protecting the insulation or surfaces thereof. Further, by the choice of the number of detents and the positioning of the detents within the head member and their relationship to the spacing of the teeth placed in the longitudinal edges of the strap body portion, a fine range of locking positions can be achieved even with a fixed number and spacing of teeth within the longitudinal edges of the strap. Further, by providing a longitudinal passage through the head member, it is possible to allow the bundling strap to conform as closely as possible to the contour of the bundle itself, and thereby minimize the effects of a protruding head member from the contour of the articles to be bundled.

The bundling strap constructed in accordance with the present invention employs a strap body portion having a plurality of teeth placed in an overlying web of a strap body portion and separated from the articles about which it will be bundled by an underlying web devoid of such teeth. The teeth may be arranged along at least a portion of one longitudinal edge of the overlying web or if desired may be placed along both longitudinal edges of the overlying web. Further, if it is desired to fully protect the articles to be bundled from the strap, an additional web may be placed overlying the overlying web, also devoid of longitudinal teeth, thus preventing the engagement of the teeth by anything other than the looking detents. The head member attached to the strap body portion is arranged with a longitudinal passage therethrough to receive therein the strap body portion after same has been looped about a plurality of articles to be bundled. The end of the strap body portion remote from the head member may be tapered if desired to facilitate entry of the strap body portion within the aperture through the head member. 'Detents may then be placed along a first bounding surface of the aperture within the head member to engage fully a single tooth of the strap body portion. Bearing surfaces may be placed on the bounding surface opposite that containing the detent to force or guide the strap body portion into engagement with such detent. In a further embodiment, a plurality of detents may be arranged on both transverse bounding surfaces of the aperture to receive detent members which may fully engage teeth to the strap'body portion. Alternatively, the detents may be positioned in such a manner that only one of the number of detents present will fully engage the tooth associated therewith, whereas the remaining detents will proportionately engage their associated teeth, dependent upon the total number of detents present. For example, if three detents were present, the first of the detents will fully engage its associated tooth, whereas a second one will engage two thirds of the tooth, and finally the last one will engage one third of the tooth. This will provide a Vernier breakdown of three positions for each tooth spacing previously established on the strap body portion itself. In addition, the forces applied to the strap attempting to disengage the strap will cause further engagement by the partially engaged teeth, thereby increasing the pullout strength of the strap. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved article bundling strap.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an incremental locking bundling strap.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an incremental locking bundling strap having a plurality of teeth placed in at least a first longitudinal edge of the strap, such teeth being protected from contact with the articles to be bundled.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an incrementally adjustable bundling strap which by the arrangement of detents within a receiving head aperture may incrementally divide the incremental steps established by the spacing of the teeth placed within the strap body portion thereof.

Other objects and features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principles of the invention and the best modes which have been contemplated for carrying them out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference characters:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a bundling strap constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the bundling strap of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, in section, of the head member of the bundling strap of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 33.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, partially in section of the head member of the bundling strap of FIG. 2 taken along the lines 44.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view, partially in section, as is shown in FIG. 4 showing the interengagement between the locking detents and the strap body portion of the strap of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of a strap body portion constructed in accordance with a modification of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the bundling strap of FIG. 1 shown installed about a plurality of articles.

FIG. 8' is a top plan view, partly in section, of an alternative construction of the head member of the strap of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view, partially in section, of another modification of a bundling strap constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view, partially in section, of a portion of still another modification of a bundling strap constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown a first embodiment of a bundling strap 10 constructed in accordance with the invention. Bundling strap 10 has a strap body portion 12 constructed of an underlying web portion 14 and an overlying web portion 16. Underlying Web portion 14 and overlying web portion 16 are coextensive, with their longitudinal edges being in alignment with one another. Extending from a longitudinal edge of the overlying web 16 are a plurality of teeth 18 which are so positioned that they extend from the longitudinal edge inwardly towards the center portion of the overlying web portion. The teeth, as is better shown in FIG. 2, do not extend through the underlying web portion 1 4 and thus will be shielded from any article about which the strap 10 is to be wrapped by means of the underlying web portion 14. At one end of the strap body portion 12 is placed a tail end portion 20 which may be tapered, as is shown in FIG. 1, or of any other convenient shape to permit its ready insertion within the aperture of the head member to be described below. Formed at the opposite end of the strap body portion 12 from the tail end portion 20 is a head member 22. A longitudinal aperture 24, as may be seen in FIG. 3, extends through the head member 22 in a position generally parallel with the strap body portion 12. As is seen in FIG. 7, position of entry of the strap body portion 12 Within the aperture 24 of the head member 22 permits the head member 22 and the strap body portion 12 to lie close to the articles 26 being bundled. In the more usual approach used in the prior art, the aperture through the head member is transverse to the head member and thus, when joined in the manner as shown in FIG. 7, a large protuberance extends from the general contour of the article bundle. This protuberance may interfere with adjacent bundles and may be responsible for the destruction of the insulation of conductors placed closely thereto. Further, because of the angle at which the strap body portion must enter the head of such prior art devices, a large gap is caused between the contour of the articles to be bundled and the strap contour itself, which gap may permit movement of the articles within the bundle or the shifting of the strap with respect to the bundle. Neither result is considered desirable. With the longitudinal passage 24 of the head 22 of the instant strap, the gap created by the departure of the strap from the contour of the articles to be bundled to the entrance wtihin the aperture of the head member is maintained at a minimum, thus minimizing any movement of the strap with respect to the articles to be bundled or articles within the bundle itself.

Turning now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 there are shown two detents 28 on a first transverse bounding wall of the aperture 24. As can be appreciated from FIG. 4, a further detent 30 is placed upon an opposite transverse bounding wall of the aperture 24 of the head member 22. As is better seen in FIG. 5, the detents 28 and 30 are arranged to fully engage the teeth 18 such that there is a three point holding of the strap body portion 14 by means of the detents 28 and 30 of the head member 22. This particular configuration has been chosen because of the diificulty usually found in molding or otherwise forming detents which are correctily in line; thus, if it were desired to place detents 28 and 30 opposite one another, molding techniques generally do not permit the accurate positioning of these detents so that they may both engage associated teeth 18 of the strap 12, thereby providing a positive locking arrangement. It is usually found that the molding procedure or other forming procedure results in an offset of the detents 28 and 30, so that the strap is only partially held by one detent and fully held by the other, a condition not desirable in prior art devices. To increase the holding or locking ability of the head member 68 detents 70a, 70b may be placed on a first transverse bounding wall and detents 72a, 72b placed on an opposite bounding wall of the head member '68 of FIG. 10. The detents 70 and 72 are so positioned along their bounding walls that only one of the detents 70, namely 70a and one of the detents 72, namely 7211, fully engage the teeth 18 of the strap while the detents 70b and 72b only partially engage the teeth 18 in proportion with the number of detents 70 and 72 present. Thus, detent 70b engages three quarters of its associated tooth 18 while detent 72b engages but one quarter of its associated tooth 18 of the strap.

With the arrangement of FIGS. 1 through 5 the incremental steps established by the spacing of the original teeth 18 in the strap body portion 12 determines the number of locking steps which may be accomplished by the strap 10. It is desirable, however, at times to provide incremental steps of smaller size than those which have been predetermined by the original spacing of the teeth 18 within the strap body portion 12. This can be accomplished by means shown in FIG. 8, wherein detents 38 extend within the aperture 36 of the head member 34 and detent 40, also extending within the aperture 36 of the head member 34, are intentionally offset as to engage teeth 18 in the strap body portion 12 with varying proportionate degrees. For example, detent 38a will fully engage a tooth 18 in the strap body portion 12, whereas detent 38b Will engage tooth 18 in a position two thirds of full engagement, and finally, the detent 40 will engage a tooth 18 to only one third of its possible engagement. Thus, the original spacing of the teeth 18 may be divided into three incremental steps to provide a vernier or finer adjustment of the strap. In addition, during the attempted pullout of the strap from locking engagement within the head member 34, stretching of the material of the strap body portion 12 and of the detents 38 and 40 themselves will cause further engagement of detents which are only partially engaging the teeth 18, thus providing additional pullout resistance. By an increase in the number of detents and the positioning of the detents within the respective head member, any number of incremental steps in the nature of a vernier may be provided for the original incremental steps as provided by the spacing of the teeth 18.

Turning now to FIG. 9, there is shown a further modification of a bundling strap constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. Strap 50 has a strap body portion 52 constructed of an underlying web 54 and an overlying web 56. Underlying web 54 and overlying web 56 are coextensive with one another, with the edges thereof being in alignment. A plurality of teeth 58 are cut in one longitudinal edge of the overlying Web portion 56 and extend inwardly toward the center thereof. A head member 60 coupled to the strap body portion 54 has an aperture 62 extending longitudinally therethrough. A single detent 64 is positioned within the aperture 62 of the head member 60 to engage the teeth 58 of the strap body portion 52. Bearing blocks 66 are placed upon the opposite transverse bounding surface of the aperture 62 from that receiving the detent 64, to urge the strap body portion 52 into intimate contact with the detent 64 to insure engagement between the detent 64 and the teeth 58 of the strap body portion 52.

i In each of the embodiments described heretofore, the teeth 18 and 58, respectively, have been shielded from the surface of the articles to be bundled by an underlying web portion 14 and 54, respectively. If it is desired to fully protect the articles to be bundled from the teeth placed Within the bundling straps and '50, an additional web portion '88 is added atop the overlying portion '84 of the bundling strap 80, as shown in FIG. 6. Underlying web portion 82 will shield the articles to be bundled from the teeth 86 of the strap 80, and in addition, the additional web 88 will protect the opposite side of the teeth 86 and prevent contact therewith. This approach may be employed with the straps 10 of FIGS. 1 through 5 and 8 or the strap 50 of FIG. 9.

t It is the usual practice in using straps of the type described herein to sever the excess portion of the strap body portion extending beyond the head member after same has been locked in position. It is usually essential, because of the position of the head with respect to the bundle of articles, that the excess strap body portion be cut as closely to the head as is possible. However, with the positioning of the head member, as is shown in FIG. 7, and due to the longitudinal positioning of the passage extending therethrough, it is not essential that the excess portion be cut as closely to the head member as was formerly necessary, since the head portion itself provides some protection from engagement with the cut off portion of the strap body close to the head member. In addition, as is shown in FIG. 7, an overlying loop 90 may be positioned on the strap body portion 112 to accept the free end or tail end of the strap body portion 12 therein. Similarly, a pocket may be formed directly in the strap body portion 12 to accept the tail end 20 of the strap after same has been looped about a plurality of articles such as 26 and locked within the head member 22.

The embodiments of the invention in which the exclusive property or privileges claimed are defined as follows:

1. A bundling strap comprising: an elongated strap body portion comprising an underlying web portion and an overlying web portion coextensive with said underlying web portion, the longitudinal edges of said underlying and overlying web portions being in alignment; a plurality of teeth in at least a portion of at least one longitudinal edge of said overlying web portion; said strap body portion terminating at one end in a tail end portion and at its other end in a head member; there being an aperture through said head member to receive therein the tail end portion and said strap body portion after same has been looped about an article to be bundled; and locking means in said head member projecting into and partially blocking said aperture to engage said teeth to prevent the unwanted withdrawal of said strap body portion from said head member.

2. A bundling strap, as defined in claim ll, wherein said aperture through said head member extends longitudinally through said head member and parallel with said strap body portion.

3. A bundling strap, as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking means is a single detent extending from one transverse bounding surface of said aperture in said head member, the free end of said detent engaging said teeth of said strap body portion.

4. A bundling strap, as defined in claim .1, wherein said locking means is a single detent extending from a first transverse bounding surface of said aperture in said head member, the free end of said detent engaging said teeth of said strap body portion; and at least one bearing means on a second transverse bounding surface of said aperture opposite said first bounding surface for engagement with a longitudinal edge of said underlying and overlying webs whereby said teeth are urged into contact with said detent.

5. A bundling strap, as defined in claim ll, wherein a plurality of teeth are placed in at least a portion of both longitudinal edges of said overlying web portion.

6. A bundling strap, as defined in claim, 5, further comprising an additional web portion coextensive with said overlying and underlying web portions and having its longitudinal edges in alignment with the longitudinal edges of said underlying and overlying web portions; said additional web portion positioned atop said overlying web portion whereby said overlying web portion is sandwiched between said underlying and additional web portions.

7. A bundling strap, as defined in claim 5, wherein said locking means comprises at least two first detents extending from a first transverse bounding surface of said aperture to engage the teeth at a first longitudinal edge of said strap body portion and at least one second detent extending from a second transverse bounding surface of said aperture, opposite said first bounding surface; only one of said first detents and said second detent fully engaging its associated tooth, all remaining ones of said first detents and second detent engaging a portion of its associated tooth in proportion to the total number of first and second detents.

8. A bundling strap, as defined in claim ll, wherein a plurality of teeth are placed in at least a portion of both longitudinal edge-s of said overlying web portion and said locking means comprises a plurality of detent members projecting into and partially blocking said aperture to engage the teeth at both longitudinal edges.

9. A bundling strap, as defined in claim ll, wherein a plurality of teeth are placed in at least a portion of both longitudinal edges of said overlying web portion and said locking means comprises two first detents extending from a first transverse bounding surface of said aperture for engaging the teeth at a first longitudinal edge of said strap body portion and a second detent extending from a second transverse bounding surface of said aperture, opposite said first bounding surface, for engaging the teeth at the second longitudinal edge of said strap body portion; said two first detents and said second detent being positioned along their respective bounding surfaces so as to fully engage their associated teeth at said longitudinal edges of said strap body portion.

10. A bundling strap, as defined in claim 1, further comprising an additional web portion coextensive with said overlying and underlying web portions and having its longitudinal edges in alignment with the longitudinal edges of said underlying and overlying web portions; said additional web portion positioned atop said overlying web portion whereby said overlying web portion is sandwiched between said underlying and additional web portions.

11. A bundling strap comprising: an elongated strap body portion comprising an underlying web portion and an overlying web portion coextensive with said underlying web portion, the longitudinal edges of said underlying and overlying web portions being in alignment; a plurality of teeth in at least a portion of both longitudinal edges of said overlying web portion; said strap body portion terminating at one end in a tail end portion and at its other end in a head member; there being an aperture through said head member to receive therein the tail end portion and said strap body portion after the same has been looped about an article to be bundled; and locking means in said head member projecting into and partially blocking said aperture; said locking means comprises two first detents extending from a first transverse bounding surface of said aperture for engaging the teeth at a first longitudinal edge of said strap body portion and a second detent extending from a second transverse bounding surface of said aperture, opposite said first bounding surface, for engaging the teeth at the second longitudinal edge of said strap body portion; said first detents and said second detent being positioned along their respective bounding surfaces so as to permit one of said two first detents and said second detent to fully engage its associated tooth; a second of said first detents and said second detent to two thirds engage its associated tooth and the third of said two first detents and said second detent to one third engage its associated tooth.

12. A bundling strap comprising: an elongated strap body portion comprising an underlying web portion and an overlying web portion coextensive with said underlying web portion, the longitudinal edges of said underlying and overlying web portions being in alignment; a plurality of teeth in at least a portion of both longitudinal edges of said overlying web portion; said strap body portion terminating at one end in a tail end portion and at its other end in a head member; there being an aperture through said head member to receive therein the tail end portion and said strap body portion after the same has been looped about an article to be bundled; and locking means in said head member projecting into and partially blocking said aperture; said locking means comprises at least two first detents extending from a first transverse bounding surface of said aperture for engaging the teeth at a first longitudinal edge of said strap body portion and at least two second detents extending from a second trans? verse bounding surface of said aperture, opposite said first bounding surface, for engaging the teeth at the second longitudinal edge of said strap body"portio'n; said first and second detents being positioned along their respec tive bounding surfaces so that only one detent of said first and second detents will fully engage its associated tooth and all remaining first and second detents will engage a portion of its associated tooth in proportion tothe total number of first and second detents. V

A bundling strap comprising: an elongated strap body portion; a plurality of teeth'in at least a portion of both longitudinal edges of said strap body portion; said strap body portion terminating at one end in a tailend portion and at its other end in a head member; there being an aperture through said head member to receive therein the tail end portion and said strap body portion after same has been looped about an article to be bundled; and look ing means in said head member projecting into and par tially blocking said aperture; said locking means comprising at least two first detents extending from a first transverse bounding surface of said aperture for engaging the teeth at a first longitudinal edge of said strap body portion and at least one second detent extending from a second transverse bounding surface of said aperture, opposite said first bounding surface; only one of said first detents and said second detent fullyengaging its associated tooth, all remaining ones of said first detents and said second detent engaging a portion of its associated tooth in proportion to the total number of first and second detents.

14. A bundling strap, as defined in claim 13, wherein there are at least two second detents; one of said first and second detents fully engaging their associated teeth and all remaining ones of said first and second detents engaging a portion of its associated tooth in proportion to the total number of first and second detents.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,979,508 11/1934 Van Den Bel 24-305 PlB 2,900,696 8/1959 Bacon 24-206 'A 3,147,522 9/1964 Schumm 2416 PB 3,488,813 1/1970 Kohke 2416'BB FOREIGN PATENTS 1,105,495 4/1961 Germany 2416 PB DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner 

